Spinning-top.



H. CAMPBELL.

SPINNING TOP.

APPLICATION FILED APR.1G, 1909.

1,033,671. Patented July 23,1912.

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UNTTD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH CAMPBELL, OF SOUTH MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR TO HENRY CARTER, OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA.

SPINNING-TOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Application filed, April 16, v1909. Serial No. 490,409.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HUGH CAMrBELL, a subject of the King of Great Britain, ref siding at No. 312 City road, South Melbourne, in the State of Victoria, Commonwealth of Australia, manufacturer, have .in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Spinning-Tops, of which the following is a specification.

The ordinary spinning top is commonly constructed either of a conically shaped piece of hard-wood having a metal peg driven into its lower end to take the wear resultant upon its spinning action, or of rolled sheet metal, in which latter case the wearing peg is secured axially therein as desired. Both these forms of tops are spun by means of the rapid unwinding of a cord previously wound closely and tightly around its periphery.

The present invention relates to improvements in the class of spinning tops above-mentioned, and has been devised in order to provide a toy that will furnish a greater scope for individual skill and considerably more amusement for children than those now in use and employed in a like manner.

Reference now being made to the accompanying drawings wherein the invention is clearly illustrated: Figure 1 is a view in elevation partly in section of a metal top embodying the improvements. Fig. 2 is a detail view of Fig. 1 on the dotted line II.

In the drawing the reference letter m designates a top constructed of sheet-metal which may be formed into any preferred or fanciful shapes, and is provided with a tapered recess a in the upper end adapted to receive the tapered end of a smaller sheetmetal top 0. The larger top m is fitted with a central rod 79, the lower end of which projects through the said top and forms a bearing point on which it is spun. This said rod 29 is kept in its correct position in the top mby means of the nuts 5 and is preferably fitted on its upper end with a short piece of tubing rwhich is adapted to receive the spinning point of a rod 8 secured rotatably in the center of the smaller top 0 by means of nuts 25. The upper end of the rod 8 is furnished with a knob u or like gripping member, and the larger top m is formed at its lower end plained.

The top is spun by winding a cord around the drum 1; and then While holding the knob u. During this operation care must be taken to hold the top vertically or approximately so, and the rapid centrifugal motion set up by the unwinding of the cord from the larger top causes the smaller top to be ejected vertically and be spun alon side the larger one.

The lower end of the smaller top 0 is formed with a drum similar to that indicated by Q) on the lower end of the outer top 7% to enable each top having a central rod or spindle to be spun independently when so desired.

A modification in the construction of the top is effected by making projections w on the periphery of the tapered recess a and corresponding recesses 00 in the periphery of the smaller top 0. These projections to are adapted to engage with the said recesses when the smaller top is placed within the larger one, and their object is to prevent the said tops rotating independently when the operator is unwinding the cord during the spinning action. If preferred, the metal tops m and 0 can be fitted with disks furnished with musical reeds and the sides of said tops be provided with holes to admit a suflicient draft to produce a humming effect, said holes and disks being arranged and constructed, respectively, in the ordinary manner.

What I do claim is 1. A spinning top having a recess formed in the upper end thereof, a rod rigidly secured in the bottom of said recess and into a drum 1), for purposes hereinafter exprojecting through the bottom of said top whereby to provide a bearing point, a smaller top mounted in said recess, a rod rotatably mounted in said smaller top and extending above and below the same, said rod at its lower end forming a bearing point, and means carried by the rod in said first named top and adapted to receive the rod in said smaller to-p whereby to keep said tops in alinement in the starting operation thereof.

2. A spinning top having a recess formed in the upper end thereof, a rod rigidly secured in the bottom of said recess and projecting through the bottom of said top whereby to provide a bearing point, a smaller top mounted in said recess, a rod rotatably mounted in said smaller top and extending above and below the same, said rod at its lower end forming a bearing point, and a short section of tubing carried by the upper end of the rod in said first named top and rigidly secured thereto, said tubing adapted to receive the rod in said smaller top whereby to hold said rods and HUGH CAMPBELL.

Witnesses:

A. J. GALLINAN, W. A. ASHTON.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. a 

